1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved gas jet engine nozzle and, more specifically, to an improved gas jet engine nozzle such as a turbine engine nozzle having thrust vectoring in a plurality of component directions of a rectilinear coordinate system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional gas jet engine nozzles such as turbine engine nozzles generate thrust only in a single direction, along a line or longitudinal axis passing through the engine parallel to the axial flow of gases exhausted from the engine. Vectoring of the vehicle supporting the engine in geometric planes perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the engine (pitch and yaw planes) generally requires means external to the engine, such as the control surfaces of an aircraft. The external control means add weight to the vehicle and generally result in relatively slow and inefficient control. Such external control means can be augmented or replaced, however, by an engine that includes a nozzle with thrust vectoring capability.
Prior attempts to develop a thrust vectored turbine engine are known. For example, these attempts have included engine designs having ducting arrangements which vent exhaust gases non-longitudinally and asymmetrically through vents to create thrust components normal to the longitudinal axis of the engine. These designs are limited in that they generally add significantly to engine weight and airplane drag. Such vectoring causes significant losses of efficiency in total engine thrust. Furthermore, these designs cause considerable mechanical shock and vibration forces on the vehicle, and relatively small and continuous changes in pitch and yaw thrust components are generally not attainable.
Prior attempts also have included designs in which vanes mounted external to the engine exhaust are used to divert exhaust gas flow to obtain pitch and yaw components. These designs are also limited in that they result in significant additions to engine weight, increased inefficiency, and undesirable mechanical shock and vibration.